Good Morning All!
Morning are always the toughest time for me, and I suspect for many ill, in pain, or healthy. As a kid you're taught a schedule and you won't realize until much, much later in life how important learning to keep that schedule is to the health of your life and your psyche.
Getting up, getting dressed, starting your day is essential regardless of how you feel, learning to keep a schedule and stick to it with good old fashion grit is a life skill up there with eating, drinking, and breathing. It brings with it accomplishment, pride, and opportunity and sweeps away wasted time and shame.
After I became sick; mornings became exceptionally hard. I would be woken with some of my worst pain of the day. It would often take hours and many pills to get me to a place where I could stand long enough to shower. After my last round of shots last week - I'm at a place where physically I can just get out of bed and go (painfully - but possible) and I'm finding that being out of the "get up and move it" habit for the last 5 years is making this seemingly simple task very tuff.
However, the inner satisfaction and sense of accomplishment from showering, dressing, and doing my hair and make-up (regardless of how I feel) is immense. And it affects everything else I do that day. Will I be productive and get my work done? Will I have the drive to get ahead on my work? Will I stick to a healthy eating plan or pig out on take out and candy? Will I work out? The answer to all the questions starts the moment I put my feet on the floor.
When I was a little girl I used to read the "Little Golden Books" and one of my favorites was about the day in the life of a little girl who got up and helped her mommy cook breakfast, clean, make a pie for dinner, iron, etc. I know it seems silly and archaic (especially to feminists), but I had a working mom and I longed for days filled with house hold stuff like that. It wasn't the kind of work that tickled my fancy, it was the schedule and the accomplishment that made me feel special.
So, I'm starting my own "Little Golden Book". I've found schedules take some time to work themselves out, you can try to force them, but they sort of have a mind of their own. But I do know mine will start with a shower, clothing (no pjs or sweats), hair, and make-up NO MATTER WHAT.
How does your "I've accomplished my goals" schedule start?
A morning jog with my dogs. So many times I just want to say 'ah, screw it - im sleeping in today!'. But my dogs love it and they are a very active breed (boxers) that crave exercise and routine. They are what starts my day off right!
ReplyDeleteI am a “morning person”:) Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to sleep until 11, but no matter what I love I have to get up at 7 and help my oldest son to get ready for school and drive my youngest to his day care. But still….I wake up in a good mood, because I take it like this – an every new good morning starts a new good day! My husband doesn’t share those believes with me though:) He is always gloomy at the mornings…But its fine, my positivity is enough for four of us:)
ReplyDeleteI am lazy like crazy:)BUT now I have the reason to get myself going – my love to Zumba. And you, Barbara, is my biggest inspiration and influence like no one in my life has ever been. Thank you!
P.S. It is silly, but if you ever need a piece of my “morning goodness” it is always there for you:)
I meant you "ARE", not "IS"))) My good morning mood messes with my english sometimes)))))
ReplyDeletegood morning Barb, it is Sat and I just found your new blog! I am so excited to follow this journey with you, I have chronic fatigue and have battled for many years...You are an amazing woman with courage and strength and I am so excited that I can say I know you. You have been my ZES for 3 Zumba trainings and I look forward to meeting you again in person but by joining you daily on this adventure I can still connect. You have given a gift to me with your excitement and your 100% in all you do, thank you! keep writing, we are listening!
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